The 1st Lukitarian The First Planet
by Boltrig
Summary: The first founding from Lukitar takes its place in the Ophidian Campaign. The story is set in the year 285M41. The regiment has been dug in on Ifomiru Secondus for months. Can the arrival of the Navy break the deadlock? Please PLEASE review!
1. Chapter 1

In the year 144M41, Abbaddon the Despoiler decimated the Adeptus Mechanicus facility in the Lukitar system. With the war being fought by the increasingly on the defensive by the Imperium of man, there was little chance of rebuilding the station and investigating the habitable planets in the system.

158M41 saw the war against Chaos in the Gothic sector abate enough to let the Imperium dispatch fleets to settle the habitable planets in the Lukitar system. Two planets were settled.

Lukitar Prime was settled and claimed as a Forge World for the Adeptus Mechanicus and Lukitar Algocant, deemed suitable to become an agri - world.

The local government was set up so that a balanced comittee comprising citezens of both planets had rule. The Imperium gave the system a grace period of 50 years before it would ask for the first tithes of weapons and foodstuffs for the system. Provided that both were delivered as asked, there would be a further grace period of 75 years before the first regiments would be founded from the system.

As the ruling of the planets was done jointly, it was decided in a council between the system comittee and the Imperium that the regiments would be founded jointly.

The system held to its promise, and delivered its tithe to the Imperium in 208M41. The perishable foodstuffs were transferred to Brigia and other planets in the Quinrox sound to resupply passing warships. The weapons and armour produced by the Ad Mech facilities on Lukitar Prime were sent in a massive convoy to equip the 9th Sameter founding in 217M41.

In 283M41 the 1st Lukitarian regiment was founded. Since the troops came from both planets, the regiment took the system's title. The regiment went through a relatively swift but rigourous training period, before being dispatched to the Ophidian system to bolster Warmaster Honorius' campaign to clease the system.

The year is 287M41. The 1st Lukitar have been in active duty for a year and a half. They have assisted in the liberation of 2 worlds. They have been active on Ifomiru Secondus for 3 months. This is where we join them.


	2. Chapter 2

It was dark. It was peaceful.

Death is underrated thought Lyeick. For the past 3 months the 1st Lukitarian had endured horrible conditions while the Imperial Navy fought viscious dogfights for control of the skies over Ifomiru Secundus. At least when the Navy had landed its intercept craft the enemy's relentless saturation bombing had slackened. Command had made use of the interceptor's shock arrival to try and advance the line.

Lyeik had been sprinting for cover when one of the Helltalons screaming by took a potshot at his squad. The missile impact had lifted him up in what seemed to be slow motion and slammed him bodily against the rusting hulk of a gutted Leman Russ.

Now the ache in his ribs was dulling, the noises of battle were fading and all seemed to be well. No more hardship. Death wasn't really a relief as such, but under the circumstances, worse things could have happened. Although there was a strange taste in his mouth. Sort of sharp, like blood. More of a sandy texture though. There was suddenly a white figure filling his vision. Was this his time to meet the Emperor?

The figure started to resolve. A brilliant light shone forth from the figure. An angel, sent by the Emperor to collect him! Such an honour! Lyeik saw a mouth open and emit a dull roar. He tried to speak.

"Asshh.. mmm pre?" He babbled. The roar hadn't subsided when the angel stopped talking.

"This ones alive!" shouted the medic, switching off the torch he had been shining into Lyeik's eyes. "No time to take him back to the lines. Looks like a concussion. Gimmie the stimms."

There was a pinch on his thigh. A glorious moment of silence.

Then the universe came rushing back at him. He screamed.

"Take it easy, you've been knocked around pretty good." said medic Lyesir, fumbling the injector back into a med kit. "You've got about 4 minutes to get your wits about you before you get run over by the armour."

"Armour?". Lyeik scrabbled at the bottom of the tank's sponson and hauled himself upright. His head was throbbing, but his vision had cleared. He didnt like what he saw. "What asshole thought it would be a good idea to send the infantry out ahead of the armour?"

"Carefull, Lyeik, that would be General Rilik. Couldnt risk the armour till he was positive the dogfight had moved on, sure. Care to retract the 'asshole' comment?"

"Not a chance, Lyesir. Have you seen any of my squadmates?"

"Who's squad are you in?" he asked, grasping Lyeik's arm and hauling him to his feet.

"Rynet's"

Lyesir shook his head. "Not any more. Rynet bought it. Bled out after the missile strike. Who was corpral in Rynet's?"

"That'd be me."

"Harsh way to get a promotion. Most of the infantry has pulled over to the east, into the warehouse district. No one wants to be sandwiched between our armour and their defences. Your squad will most likely be there."

Lyeik gulped down a couple of pain tabs with a swig from his canteen. "Lets head east, then. I want to get this squad situation sorted before we move up"

To the North, the horizon looked like it was shimmering. As the 2 men made their way towards their comrades, Lyeik realised that it was because the horizon was in fact made up of innumerable war machines, all trundling forward in a mass advance.

"You know, seeing that many massed tanks, you almost have to feel sorry for those poor bastards holed up in the town." said Lyesir, thoughtfully

Lyeik thought about his Sarge and friend Rynet, who would never see Lukitar again.

"Nah. I hope they get all the fury of the Emperor and more."

Behind them, the first volleys of tank shells whistled over and slammed into the wall. Those bastards were royally screwed now.


	3. Chapter 3

Commissar Dakal steadied himself against the turret of his Leman Russ Vanquisher and peered through the scope in front of him. The huge cannon thumped and recoiled periodically, filling the turret with a smell of fyceline and a haze of smoke. Every thump of the gun sent yet another shell at the enemy held city. Without taking his eye from the scope he called to his gunner and driver.

"Lay an anti-tank shell into the breach and hold. Driver, accelerate till we are 20m ahead of the main advance; I want to be clear of this bloody dust."

The gunner paused with his hand on a high explosive shaped charge.

"Orders are standard ordnance only and suppression fire on the walls, sir"

"Nevertheless, an anti-tank shell please, Mr Kydan."

Kydan though better of contradicting a Commissar and slid an anti tank round from the water jacket magazine behind him and placed it into the elongated cannon. He thumped the breach closed with a dull clang.

"Excellent" said Dakal. "Traverse turret 5 degrees counter clockwise and elevate gun 2 marks. Be ready to fire on my command". He felt the metal under his gloved hand vibrate as servos kicked into life and swung the turret round.

For a few seconds the only sound came from the tanks around them and their own engine. Insulated in their own armoured beast, the unimaginable firepower being loosed at the enemy sounded dulled and altogether too quiet.

"Fire"

The cannon recoiled violently once more, ejecting the smoke filled casing to the floor. Kydan waited for the order to reload, his hands hovering over the magazine. The dull booms of impacting ordnance were sounding constantly. Picking out one specific impact among thousands would be impossible. Suddenly Dakal burst out in hearty laughter.  
"Load standard ordnance and fire at will." He said with a grin on his face.  
"What was with the ay tee shell, sir?" asked Kydan, loading a standard round into the cannon.  
Dakal didn't take his eye off the scope. "Sneaky bastards, this lot. What does the auspex show you?"  
Kydan looked at the flickering display. "Nothing out of the ordinary, sir. Threat analysis is clear since the gate turrets were destroyed an hour ago. Heat signature is nil except where our shells have hit; seems to just be a rockrete wall with overlaid sheet metal."  
"Focus on the point where that vox tower meets the wall. Then traverse the view 10 metres along the wall, and 3 down."  
"Area is decimated, I'm assuming from that ay tee shell hit. Position indicates it was one of the storm drain outflows. Surveyor detects power bleed. Did the Ay Tee shell sever a  
power relay?"  
"Since when have you known power conduits to be run through drainage outflows? No, there was a lascannon emplacement hiding in there. Well some kind of high-energy power weapon anyway. They were just waiting for us to get into range. That would have played merry hell amongst the lines."  
Kydan looked sidelong at the Commissar. "How could you have possibly have known that, sir."   
The Commissar turned to face his gunner. The optic implant the covering his left eye whirred and clicked as it adjusted range to focus on the tank interior. It clicked onto low light mode.  
"Never did trust the built in surveyors since I found out just how poor they can be. Even the _Valour_, a Commissar tank with a hand picked crew, gets a shitty surveyor." He tapped the metal bionic. "Much better than your mass produced auspex unit. That sheet metal is there to fool the sensors, but it doesn't fool me. Saw the heat bloom and zeroed in. That's the perks of having connections, Mr Kydan. Lost an eye, gained an advantage. Pass me the vox if you will."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sarge, all forces broadcast. It's Commissar Dakal from the armoured section." Lyeick's vox operator bustled up.

"I thought we were staying with Corporal just now, Dyten", he replied sullenly. "What's The Scope saying?"

Dyten twisted the volume control and the external speakers burst into life.

"…hind you. Say again. This is Commissar Dakal, from the _Valour_. We have detected and neutralised an energy weapon emplacement hidden in the storm drain outflows. If the enemy is using these drains as fire points, they may use them to spring ambushes on the infantry. Careful boys, I don't want to see you getting your arse shot off, and neither would Senior Medic Rukar. You all know how he likes his infirmary quiet! Keep an eye out behind you. Dakal out."

Lyeick smiled despite himself. Dakal definitely knew how to keep the troops spirits up.

"Right, let's get this situation sorted. How many did we loose on the way here"

"Rynet, Tinilli and Nynal from our section," said Eldit, his acting corporal. "Two of the other squads took a bit of a beating too. If we were to split Rodat's mob in two, we could bring both ours and Rayas' back to full strength."

Lyeick considered this. "Rodat isn't dead though. You don't think he's going to be pissed at you sneaking his squad out from under him?"

"No sir, I checked with him already. He says it's as good an arrangement as any till the mission is complete"

"Enough of the sir, Eldit. I'm also recommending a transfer out of this squad once this mission is over."

"What! Why?" Eldit spluttered.

"You should be in charge of logistics for the entire regiment if you can split and regroup two squads in the fifteen minutes it took me to get here!"

Eldit grinned.

"That's a bit beyond me at the moment, Lyeick. Thanks for the though all the same!"

"Right," said Lyeick, standing up. "I'm going to see Rodat and have a chat with him about this. Gather your kit, guys. I won't to be able to move as soon as the order comes down.'

He strode away as his squad began milling about gathering canteens and checking weapons. Rodat was standing with what was left of his squad a little way away on a loading dock.

"Rodat!" called Lyeick. "Can I have a word?"

"Yeah, no bother. You lot all take five." His squad stood talking and lighting lho sticks as Rodat jumped down from the platform and walked slowly over to Lyeick.

"How are you and your guys taking it?" asked Lyeick. There was no need to ask what he was referring to.

"Harsh, Lyeick man." Rodat's voice was low. It seemed to Lyeick that the shock was still sinking in. "Ten men cut down to five. Every previous engagement we've come through unscathed. This is the first planet we've lost even one man. The first planet…"

"Look, Rodat, I didn't want to make sergeant this way, and you're already qualified. Take command of my squad for this one. Ill stay as corporal until command decides how to arrange us."

"I appreciate the thought," said Rodat, shaking his head. "But you know your men's strengths. If you don't mind, I'll make up a fire team with the 2 guys that are going to be joining you."

"Sure." Said Lyeick, heartened to see Rodat making a positive move. "All I will say is that we're going to need your heavy weapons man. Ours never made it. The other trooper is your decision. They're all fine men that I'd be proud to have."

"Appreciate it, Lyeick." He offered a hand to Lyeick which he took.

"This'll be a hard mission Rodat. Fight it for the fallen."

Rodat nodded and wordlessly turned back to the loading dock, where the conversation seemed to have died away as the rest of the squad came to the same realisations as their former sarge.

Lyeick walked slowly back to his squad, thinking of his own friends, now gone. Fight it for the fallen. Yeah…


End file.
